OBAMA FOR AMERICA
Headquarters: 100 Executive Dr., Suite 100, West Orange, NJ 07052

State Director

Mark Alexander

(announced Oct. 9, 2007. Alexander previously served as the campaign's policy director, he took a leave of absence starting end of Feb. 2007 to join the campaign)  Law professor at Seton Hall; joined the faculty in 1996 as an assistant professor.  Took leave to serve as general counsel to Cory Booker’s campaign for Mayor of Newark, 2006.  Issues director for the Bill Bradley for President campaign, Jan. 1999-April 2000.  Litigator with Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher in San Francisco.  Clerked for Chief Judge Thelton Henderson of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.  Issues director for Sen. Edward Kennedy’s (D-MA) 1988 reelection campaign.  Legislative assistant to Sen. Howard Metzenbaum, 1986-88.  J.D. from Yale University Law School, 1992.  B.A. in architecture from Yale University, 1986.
 

Endorsements include
Senate President Richard Codey  (Jan. 30, 2008; had backed John Edwards)

Mayor Cory Booker of Newark  (announced on May 14, 2007 at an event in Teterboro where they called for creation of an Affordable Housing Trust Fund)
Mayor Jerramiah Healy of Jersey City  (announced on May 14, 2007 at an event in Teterboro where they called for creation of an Affordable Housing Trust Fund)

former U.S. Senator and NBA legend Bill Bradley  (Jan. 6, 2008)

The Star-Ledger   (02/03/08)
Trenton Times   (01/27/08)
 
 
 

Post-Primary Notes:
-On Feb. 20, 2008 the Associated Press reported that two other superdelagates are supporting Obama:
State Sen. Dana Redd of Camden - had backed Clinton
Donald Norcross - formerly neutral; member of the DNC, co-chair of the Camden County Democratic organization, and president of the Southern New Jersey Central Labor Council in Pennsauken
 

-Feb. 14, 2008 posting on the Obama website:

Christine “Roz” Samuels, a superdelegate from Montclair, New Jersey, announced today that she is switching her support from Hillary Clinton to Barack Obama...

Samuels cited Obama's ability to unite the country...

"I now support Barack Obama because he has brought about a new wave of hope and energy to this country, especially among our young people, who represent our future. People want to see change. Barack can help unite this country and help us embrace our diverse nation.

"I am also proud to support Senator Obama because he spoke clearly and forcefully against the war in Iraq from the start. I know he has the leadership to make sure we bring our young men and women home as quickly and carefully as possible, and  ensure all Americans have access to affordable health care."

Samuels served as Secretary-Treasurer of the Newark Teachers’ Union, Local 481 from 1995 until 2007. Samuels is a former Commissioner of the Essex County Board of Elections, a member of the Montclair Democratic Committee, and active in the Montclair and state-wide NAACP.
 
 
 

Copyright © 2007, 2008  Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in Action